Djougou is primarily a market town and transit point for northern Benin, and most visitors pass through rather than stay. But the town has a lively Grand Marché that reflects its position as the main trading centre for the Donga region — worth several hours on market day. The surrounding countryside offers walking and motorbike trips into the hills, and the town itself has the mosques and Muslim quarter that give it much of its character.
The main reason to extend a stay in Djougou is as a base for trips into the Atacora region to the north, where Tata Somba fortified houses and the Pendjari National Park draw travellers interested in Benin's most dramatic landscapes. Djougou is closer than Natitingou to some of these destinations and has adequate accommodation.